


Christmas Times

by Peggystormborn



Series: Every Time...A Karamel Anthology [16]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Canon compliant through end of season 3, F/M, Karamel spent 10 years in the future then came back with their kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 06:54:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16908240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peggystormborn/pseuds/Peggystormborn
Summary: No plot here...just wall-to-wall KARAMEL CHRISTMAS FLUFF......in more than one century.





	Christmas Times

**Author's Note:**

> For those who haven't read my other stories, Kara and Mon-El spent ten years together in the future before returning to the present day, married with children. They eventually move to a home in Midvale.
> 
> Winn and Eve are married. 
> 
> Alex adopted a human-alien hybrid child. 
> 
> Lena knows everything.
> 
> Oh, and Mon-El has a twin brother.

31st Century: Legion Headquarters, National City

 

“Kara…wh…what are you doing? What in heaven's name is _that_?!” Imra sputters, nearly doing a spit-take.

 

Kara, who's been whistling _Winter Wonderland_ on her way in from outside, stops mid-stride, looking over at the table in the Legion HQ common room at her fellow Legionnaires, who are busily plating up breakfast and pouring coffee. Or, what they call coffee in this time.

 

“...Um, I'm putting up a Christmas tree, what's it look like I'm doing?” She stands there, holding the thick trunk of a 12-foot conifer over her shoulder with one hand as its spiky green branches hover droopily behind her, its root ball wrapped in burlap. The tree is large enough that it should really require the effort of multiple people to maneuver into their midst, but she of course is no ordinary person. She holds the thing up so effortlessly it may as well have been a toothpick.

 

“Where did you get it?” Garth says. “I've never seen a tree like that.”

 

“An evergreen?” Kara wonders. “I mean, I had to go halfway to the Fortress to find it, but there are plenty if you travel far enough North.” The climate had shifted dramatically over the past thousand years. National City was far hotter than she'd remembered, not that it was bothersome to _her_. Land near the equator was near-uninhabitable for humans now, though many alien species did just fine there. But the shift in temperature hadn't just caused disruptions to weather, sea levels, and man-made infrastructure. Plant life had been dramatically impacted as well. Which meant the vast pine forests that once covered much of North America were no more. Now, one had to travel far to the north to find such specimens. And find one Kara did. Rather than chop it down she'd decided to uproot it and place it in an oversize decorative pot she'd scrounged up, so she could re-plant it later.

 

“But...why? What it is for?” Imra asks.

 

Kara crinkles her eyebrows as she unloads her cargo for all to see. She takes a moment to adjust the large round pot, and dumps the root ball in. It's a little crooked, but more or less upright.

 

“I mean…it's a Christmas tree. Don't you remember the one I had at my loft at the holiday party when you guys visited?”

 

“Oh...yes. I assumed that was a permanent fixture in your home. I didn't realize it was seasonal.”

 

“You thought I kept a tree in my apartment all the time?”

 

Imra shrugs, coming over to examine the oversize plant. “So we…just keep it here? Until the solstice?”

 

“Until _Christmas_.”

 

“...Right. And why is it called that again?”

 

“It's a holiday to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.”

 

“Oh...did you worship that God? With your Earth family? I mean I know you and Mon-El celebrate the Nova Cycle and I've seen you pray to Rao, but...”

 

“Well, no, my Earth family wasn't particularly religious.”

 

“I'm confused, then.”

 

“Well, most Americans celebrated Christmas, even non-Christians. It's a pretty big deal. Honestly, I didn't really get it at first, but Alex just loved exchanging gifts and baking cookies and decorating the tree…”

 

“Decorating? With what?” Imra lights up brightly enough that she herself could pass for holiday decor.

 

“Oh...good question. I guess they don't make twinkle lights any more, do they? Well, how about this: we can each make an ornament and then it will belong to all of us!”

 

Imra's eyes shine at the prospect of being included in something so important to her idol.

 

“Hey! Nice choice, Kara! A little big, though, don't you think?” Winn exclaims, entering the room with his tablet.

 

“Psh. No such thing. It's our first Legion Christmas, and we're gonna do this thing right.” Kara retorts. Though she's always enjoyed the holidays, Kara's insistence on carrying out these traditions is largely about helping Winn feel more at home here. He's the only human in this time who remembers what 21st century Christmastime is. And without his mom or the rest of their little found family, she wants to go the extra mile (or a couple thousand miles, in fact) to make it special for him. 

 

She suspects Winn may have similar ideas about the holiday, since she accidentally walked in on him the other day wrapping presents in his room, including what looked like Mon-El's old calculator watch, newly refurbished. And something apparently encased in lead-lined paper, that she assumes must be for her. Leave it to Winn to find a way to keep Kara from peeking at her own Christmas present. She pouts a little internally at the thought.

 

“Hell yeah, we are! I mean, not hell. That's not festive. How about ‘You bet your reindeer we are!’” Winn says.

 

“Reindeer?” Imra asks.

 

“Yeah, Santa's reindeer,” he clarifies. Imra continues to look blankly at the two of them, then at Garth who's wearing an equally confused expression. “Santa Claus…” Winn explains. “He travels around the world on Christmas Eve and climbs down chimneys to bring presents to children. I mean, not _really._  It's just a myth. The children's parents actually buy the presents. But the kids believe it, and they leave out cookies and milk for him. It's cute.”

 

“Wait, you lie to children about this?” Garth interjects.

 

“Well, yes, but it's nice to bring a sense of wonder and magic into their lives,” Kara explains.

 

“Don't they get upset when they find out the truth?” Imra asks.

 

Winn ponders this. “Uh, well in my case I was in foster care at the time, so I was a little, you know, preoccupied with that, but, uh…aaaaaanywaaaaay, OOH! How about I make some lights and a star for this thing in the fabricator! You guys wanna help?” he says to his fellow Legionnaires.

 

Kara smiles (somewhat self-satisfied at seeing Winn getting excited, too) and nods vigorously, bouncing up and down a little with glee as Imra and Garth grab some pastries and follow Winn to the lab. Mon-El walks in just in time to see his girlfriend being adorable next to the tree, and beams at her from across the room.

 

“Hey, you,” he walks up, putting his arms around her and giving her a small kiss good morning. He'd been slightly disappointed when he'd woken up to find her missing with a note that just said “Be back soon! Ho, ho, ho!”

 

Seeing her now, smiling back at him, makes up for it.

 

“I don't suppose while you were out plant-hunting you managed to get your hands on some mistletoe, hmm?” he asks, sparkle in his eye. “I seem to recall a certain tradition…”

 

Kara laughs. “You _would_ remember that one, wouldn't you? Well, as a matter of fact…” she steps over to the tree and fishes through the branches, where she'd stashed some sprigs of the flora in question. She holds it over her head expectantly, lips pursed, as Mon-El chuckles and leans in for a proper smooch, wrapping his arms tightly around his mate. She reciprocates, dropping the mistletoe on the floor and winding her fingers through his hair. Pulling back, he gives her that patented Daxamite hungry stare, his grey eyes boring into hers, causing her knees to wobble slightly. Taking the hint, she grabs his hand and drags him off at speed to their quarters.

 

********

 

21st Century: Midvale (ten years later, and also a thousand years earlier)

 

“Mom! Holy Rao, wh...what are you doing here?” Kara stammers, after opening her front door to find her mother, Alura, fresh from Argo City, standing there with her sister Alex and nephew Conner, all parties smiling from ear to ear.

 

“Surprise! I thought I would come see you and my grandchildren for this...Earth holiday of yours. You mentioned you'd be having festivities tonight,” the elder Kryptonian says. “Christmas Eve, correct?”

 

“Yes, I just...wow, I'm so happy to see you! I can't believe you came all the way here!”

 

“Well, we finally got our transmat portal working, so I can visit a lot more often if you'd like.”

 

“Yeah, she came through this morning while I was finishing a few things at the DEO. So we thought we'd make the trip over together,” Alex is uncharacteristically bouncy, holding Conner on her hip while his arms circle her neck. They're quite the picture, these two.  

 

“We flew, Aunt Kara!”

 

“Did you, now? Well why don't you fly in here and have some hot chocolate with everyone, huh?”

 

The boy scrambles down and dashes off to the kitchen, where the other children are already assembled. The eldest Daxatonian, Allie, is doling out marshmallows, candy canes and whipped cream as Mon-El pours everyone a steaming mug of sweetness. Alura and Alex follow, and Kara, trailing behind, hears peals of joy coming from Allie at the sight of her namesake, followed by high-pitched squeals from the others and a heartfelt greeting between her husband and his mother-in-law.

 

“Nana! We've missed you!” Zora says, hugging her in her tiny iron grip as she stands on her chair, while her twin brother Xander wraps his arms around his grandmother's legs.

 

“Oof! How strong they are! You are raising some very healthy children, daughter. I take it you're feeding them well!”

 

“If by 'well’ you mean stuffing them with gingerbread and peppermint, then yes!” Kara laughs, grabbing her youngest, John, from his high chair as he reaches desperately for the bag of marshmallows on the table.

 

“Looks like it's gonna be a full house tonight, huh? I think everyone in the family is coming, plus Winn and Eve, James and Lena, and J'onn of course. And Lena said something about a surprise. Oh! And you haven't met my brother yet!” Mon-El gushes.

 

“The famous Eltro? I've heard a lot about him!” Alura smiles. “And I'm sure he's as charming as his twin!”

 

“Oookay, Mom!” Kara chortles.

 

A few hours later, the party is in full swing, and J'onn engages in his annual tradition of torturing everyone by playing the Hall and Oates rendition of Jingle Bell Rock over and over, until the children plug their ears with their fingers and begin to loudly complain. Laughing and picking up John, named of course for the de facto patriarch of their little found family, J'onn relents and switches the music to Alvin and the Chipmunks. The children cheer as the adults issue a collective sigh of resignation.

 

“This is…unusual music, Kara. But the children seem to enjoy it,” Alura remarks. “I recall you had some... _interesting_ preferences as a child. You always wanted your Oregus juice served piping hot. It was…odd.”

 

Kara laughs, remembering, and Mon-El makes an incredulous face. “Hot Oregus, huh? That sounds…awful…” he cringes.

 

“Hey, don't knock it until you've tried it!” Kara laughs. “And you're one to talk! Mr. 'I like to dip my fries in honey and yogurt!’”

 

“Okay, THAT is a culinary masterpiece.”

 

“Ugh, no thanks!” Kara sticks her tongue out in disgust.

 

“You don't know what you're missing!” he laughs. “Elt knows what I'm talking about! Am I right, bro? Honey and yogurt on fries?” he glances across the room where his twin Eltro perks up at the sound of his name and pauses his conversation with Alura to give an approving thumbs up.

 

Kara rolls her eyes. “Well, that doesn't count. You share the same DNA. Of course you're both weirdos.”

 

Weirdos they may be, but in many ways, Mon-El and his twin are actually quite different. Not least of which is that Eltro has a preference for men whereas Mon-El has always gravitated towards women (and one in particular). Though she hasn't known him to actually date anyone since his arrival on Earth and subsequent transplantation to Mars to help M'Gann in her fight against the White Martian leadership there. Once or twice while out and about with her brother-in-law she's seen a handsome man stroll by, causing both their heads to turn. But he hasn't been involved with anyone to her knowledge. Not for the first time, she wonders if there's anyone in her circle of friends she might fix him up with. He doesn't seem lonely, perse, but she'd still love to see him settled with a partner. After all he's been through and all he continues to do for their family and his two adopted planets, he deserves some happiness. Like the kind she's found with her husband. She looks over at Mon-El now, gesturing goofily at his only blood relation other than his children, the only other Daxamite he's ever been proud to call his family.

 

The door opens just then, and Winn and Eve step in, greeting everyone warmly as they take off their coats and scarves. Eve hands over a box of candy and a bottle of wine, as Winn turns to close the door--nearly slamming it in Lena and James’ faces in the process.

 

“Well, Merry Christmas to you, too!” Lena laughs.

 

“Sorry! Didn't see you guys there. Why don't I make it up to you by grabbing you a drink?” Winn asks.

 

“We would love that, but first we have a surprise for everyone,” Lena says.

 

“Oh! Are you expecting?” Alura pipes in, having just joined the throng of folks crowded around the door to greet the new arrivals.

 

Lena's eyes practically bug out of her head at the question, and James’ mouth drops open, unsure what to say.

 

“Mom!” Kara cringes. “That's not really a question we ask here…” Kara endeavors to explain Earth etiquette to her birth mother.

 

“I'm so sorry, we don't have natural birth where I come from, I didn't realize.”

 

“It’s all right, Kara. And the answer to that is a big fat NOOOOO. Definitely not,” Lena emphatically waves the idea away, gesturing with her hands for emphasis and making a somewhat grossed out face.

 

“Yeah, we love all _your_ kids to bits, but that's, uh, not for us,” James clarifies, side-eying his girlfriend's uncharacteristically over-the top response.

 

Eve and Winn share a slightly dejected look, and the former Legionnaire wraps his arm around his wife, kissing her on the temple. Kara, noticing their change in demeanor, crinkles her brow.

 

“Are you guys okay?” she wonders aloud.

 

“Uh, yeah, it's just…” Eve starts.

 

“Yeah, um, we actually _are_ sort of…” Winn stammers.

 

“...I'm pregnant!” Eve finally blurts.

 

“So...surprise?” Winn says as the room erupts in shrieking and words of congratulations. Kara and Mon-El, for their part, envelop the two of them in a rather powerful hug.

 

“Oops. Sorry for taking the wind outta your sails, man.” James says as he pulls away from embracing his friend.

 

“That's okay. How about _you_ make it up to _me_ by grabbing me an eggnog. Light on the egg, heavy on the nog, please.”

 

“Wait! Oh, God! I almost forgot about OUR surprise. Which is still out on the front porch.”

Lena reopens the front door, ushering in a slightly grumpy Sam and Ruby Arias, both shivering and rubbing their hands together.

 

“Took you long enough, Aunt Lena,” Ruby snarks. “I thought we were gonna have to spend Christmas Eve with the mechanical snowman on the lawn.”

 

“What she means to say is _Merry Christmas_ , _everyone_ ,” Sam corrects, hugging Kara. “And I was able to make the cookies from scratch this time.” Kara grabs the offered Tupperware from her friend, wondering if five Superkids will be able to plow through the smorgasbord of sweets on the kitchen table.

 

The rest of the party goes a little more smoothly. Christmas ham is served, carols are sung, and Clark and Lois even stop by for a while to show off their own little bundle of joy, baby Jonathan. The evening finally culminates in each of the children getting to open one present.

 

Conner pokes around at the wrapped gifts, wondering if any are for him. He's never had a real Christmas before, having spent most of his young life moved about by Cadmus operatives who didn't exactly treat him like family.

 

Alex winks at her sister as she goes to the closet to retrieve a very special, rather large present: a shiny, new, bright red bicycle with a large bow on it. She rings the bell to get her son's attention, and his eyes widen to an unfathomable size when he looks up.

 

“Merry Christmas, sweetie! And don't worry, it's Nth metal. You won't break it,” she whispers. Conner nearly cries with joy, hugging his mother until he's nearly squeezing the breath out of her. Kara looks on at the scene, wiping away a little tear from the corner of her eye. Though it's dark outside, Conner is given approval to try it out in the driveway, Allie looking on and giving her cousin pointers as Alex does her best to hold the bike upright.

 

Eventually, milk and cookies are put out for Santa and the children are shepherded off to bed. Most of the adults head home, except Eltro and Alex, who are sleeping in the basement, and Alura, who's gamely camping out upstairs with her grandchildren.

 

“I see you and Eltro are getting along swimmingly,” Kara teases her mother as she  retrieves extra blankets and pillows from the hall closet. “You chatted with him half the evening.”

 

“We have a lot in common. Both being twins, for one thing. And he's a lovely young man. Just like his brother.” Alura gives her daughter an approving smile, never quite able to rein in her joy at seeing the life Kara has built here on Earth.

 

“That he is. We're grateful he found his way to us. You know, I was thinking…”

 

“...That perhaps there might be a few eligible bachelors on Argo that we might introduce him to?”

 

“Actually, yes, my thoughts exactly. I guess great minds think alike, as they say here!”

 

“I suppose so. Runs in the family. Well, I've already extended him an invitation. With the portal operational, he's welcome any time. You all are, of course.”

 

“The kids have off school this week. Why don't we plan a visit?”

 

“I would love that! And if a few nice young men from my neighborhood happen to stop by, then so be it, hmm?” Alura and Kara share a conspiratorial chuckle, stopping short of rubbing their hands together diabolically.

 

“If you two are done plotting to marry off my brother, maybe we could finish getting everyone settled for the night?” Mon-El interrupts. “Santa might show up any minute, you know.”

 

Kara rolls her eyes and bats her handsome husband with one of the pillows she's holding, as she goes to unroll a sleeping bag for her mother.

 

After cleaning up and putting the last of the presents under the tree, Kara and Mon-El take a few minutes to relax by the fireplace together with a bottle of wine. Mon-El wraps one arm around his wife and lets out a long sigh.

 

“What are you thinking about?” Kara asks at length.

 

“I was just wondering what our younger selves might have thought if someone had told us how our lives would turn out,” her husband says.

 

Kara laughs out loud. “I can almost picture it. Hey, twelve-year-old Kara, just so you know, someday you'll be living on an alien planet, married to the former Prince of Daxam, raising four superpowered children, hanging out with your human sister and genetically engineered nephew, plus being visited by your baby cousin who's now your older cousin, as well as your mom who lives on a space rock that used to be your home town? Oh, yeah, and you can fly, shoot eye lasers and lift buildings over your head.”

 

“Honestly, I might have died of shock just at the phrase ‘married to a Kryptonian,’ never mind the rest of it.” Kara laughs aloud at the truth of this, and gives him a quick peck on the lips.

 

“Yeah, plus the part where I gave birth a bunch of times. I think my mom nearly fainted when I told her about that.”

 

“There's also the whole time travel thing.”

 

“Yes, that too.”

 

“Well, I for one wouldn't change a thing.”

 

“Really? Not even all those years we spent apart?”

 

Mon-El quirks his head to one side, remembering. “...No. Not even that. If it had gone a different way, you and I might not be here now. In this time, with this family. As hard as that was, I think everything turned out just as it was meant to.”

 

She presses her lips to his again, soft and sweet. “I agree,” she says. “Now let's eat those cookies and head to bed, shall we?”

 

As they turn out the lights and crawl under the covers, she asks, “Hey, remember our first Christmas together? In the future?”

 

“How could I forget? You made it pretty memorable.”

 

She giggles and intertwines her fingers with his as he snuggles up behind her, and so they drift off to sleep.

 

********

 

31st Century

 

“Man, wish I'd brought my swim trunks. Feels more like Christmas in July,” Winn complains lightly as they finish decorating the tree, which they've opted to place outside in the Legion’s courtyard. The sun's just gone down, leaving a small faction of their team to finish decorating in the dim light of early evening. “I guess White Christmases are a thing of the past, huh?”

 

“It's not like they were all that common in the 21st century either. Not in National City, at least,” Kara reminds him.

 

“That's true. But we never had anything like this. This is straight up balmy. Like get-me-a-piña-colada-stat balmy.

 

“I suppose it is...I mean _I'm_ used to it. This feels more like Daxam's climate anyway,” Mon-El explains. “And it's pretty much standard winter weather for this century. Wait until we get to summer. That Legion ring contains a personal climate control system for a reason.”

 

“Yeesh. Well thank you, science, then. All right, ready to light this puppy up?”

 

“Puppy?” Imra's eyebrows scrunch in confusion again.

 

“...Never mind,” Winn says, gesturing dismissively. “Okay, countdown in 3...2...1… Merry Christmas, Legionnaires!”

 

He turns the switch and the tree flares to life, illuminating the space they stand in. Everyone oohs and aahs at it, exchanging hugs and holiday greetings.

 

Kara holds up her hand, and feels a tinge of moisture accumulating. “Oh! It's raining. Aw, that's a shame. I was hoping we could spend the rest of the evening out here by the tree. Teach these newbies some carols and whatnot.”

 

“No problem, we can just put up the force field,” Mon-El says with a shrug.

 

“This building has its own force field? Cooooollll…” Winn gets that familiar look on his face, like a kid in a candy store.

 

Mon-El pulls up a 3D schematic of their headquarters using his Legion ring and starts tapping virtual buttons.

 

“Wait, don't! I have an idea!” Kara practically squeals, lifting into the air.

 

“Babe, what are you doing?” Mon-El asks, brows knitting together as he watches her float towards the clouds.

 

They hear the whoosh of her freeze breath, feel the cold air from her lungs descending down upon them, and suddenly it's not raining any more.

 

_It's snowing._

 

For a moment, they all look up in awe at the white flakes floating down from above.

 

“WOOHOO!” Winn yells as he picks up a handful of rapidly-accumulating white powder and tosses it in Mon-El's face. “Best future Christmas ever!”

 

“Oh ho, that's how it is, huh? Pick a fight with a guy with superpowers?” the Daxamite snickers at he grabs his own handful and speeds over to muss Winn's hair with it.

 

Imra, rolling with laughter, uses her ring to make an announcement over the PA system, and before long everyone in the building trickles out into the courtyard to throw snowballs and make snow angels. Though his hands get chilly fast, Winn teaches his new friends how to roll up a snowman, which they adorn with whatever items of clothing and various odds and ends they can find.

 

Once a few inches have piled up, Kara floats back down with a massive smile on her face, and launches a surprise attack on her mate, grabbing him from behind and pulling him down into a small snowbank of her own creation. Belly laughing, she rolls on top of him and kisses him on the nose as he gazes up at the light of his life. The glow of the tree shines in her hair, and he's just about breathless at the sight of her. His personal angel.

 

“How's this for a first Christmas together, hmm?” she asks.

 

“If this is what Christmas with you is all about, then we have a date every December 25th until the end of time. Sound good?”

 

“Sounds perfect.”

 

“Jolly Christmas, Kara.”

 

“Actually, no, it's…you know what? Jolly Christmas to you, too, Mon-El.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Hope everyone liked it! Happy holidays fam!


End file.
